From first words to fluent conversations.
Speech therapy at Tidepool covers everything a mouth and a mind do together: saying sounds clearly, understanding language, using it, and carrying it into friendships and classrooms. Our two speech-language pathologists are ASHA-certified and between them hold advanced training in AAC (augmentative and alternative communication), childhood apraxia of speech, and fluency.
We treat late talkers without panic and with a plan. The research is clear that some late talkers catch up alone; the problem is nobody can tell you in advance which ones. So we screen at twenty months rather than waiting for the "wait and see" deadline that keeps arriving and never actually arrives.
Inside speech therapy at Tidepool
Articulation & phonology
Speech-sound disorders from a single tricky R to patterns that make a child 40% intelligible to strangers. We use the cycles approach and traditional drill where the evidence supports each.
Late talking & language delay
Vocabulary growth, word combinations, and understanding directions. Progress is measured in words gained per week, tracked on a graph you will actually see.
AAC & complex communication
Trial, fitting, and coaching for robust AAC systems. An AAC device is never a last resort or a replacement for speech; the evidence says it grows speech.
Stuttering & fluency
Family-centered fluency therapy that balances speech tools with confidence, because a child who is afraid to talk works against every technique we teach.
Social language groups
Table Talk, our six-week social group, practices conversation repair, flexible thinking, and joining play with three other kids and one SLP.
School-readiness language
Pre-literacy foundations: phonological awareness, narrative skills, and vocabulary depth that predict reading success.
Who we typically see
- Your 18-month-old says fewer than ten words
- Strangers cannot understand your four-year-old's speech
- Your child stutters and has started avoiding talking situations
- Teachers report your child 'loses' multi-step directions
- Your child's thoughts are clearly ahead of their words
- An AAC device has been suggested and you don't know where to start
Not sure your child fits these? The free consult exists exactly for that question. Twenty minutes, honest answer.
Our evidence baseline
- Cycles approach for phonological patterns, per peer-reviewed outcomes studies
- Naturalistic language intervention in play routines, not flashcard drills
- AAC access modeling: the device is modeled for the child, never demanded of them
- Palin-parent-based fluency principles adapted for our caseload ages
We track each child's progress with the same measures every visit and show you the graph at every plan review. If the line is flat for twelve weeks, we change the plan, not the explanation.
Curious who you'd be working with? Meet the speech therapy team.
Speech therapy FAQ
Do we need a referral? +
No. California gives families direct access to therapy evaluations. If your insurance plan requires a physician referral for reimbursement, we will tell you during the benefits check and help you get one quickly.
How often will we come in? +
Most families start with one 45–60 minute session per week. Kids who need faster progress often do two. We re-check frequency at every twelve-week plan review rather than letting it drift.
What do sessions actually look like? +
Play-based and purposeful. Your child will experience it as games, obstacles, and stories. You will experience it as a clinician who can name exactly which skill they were targeting and how you can practice it at home in five minutes a day.
Can you work with my child's school? +
Yes. With your written OK we share goals and progress notes with teachers, join IEP meetings by request, and coach school staff on the same strategies we use in the clinic so the approach is consistent everywhere.
What if my child refuses to participate? +
That is information, not failure. Early sessions may look like relationship-building: showing your child the room, the toys, and the person. We would rather spend two sessions earning trust than one session forcing compliance.